Bird of the year? (1 Viewer)

D

Dom F

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2013

• #61

Hard to choose just one so have gone for three. In second and third place are Golden and Satin Bowerbirds they are such stunning birds to watch. In first place sitting in the garden watching the antics of our Sulphur Crested Cockatoos, they are just like naughty children!

 

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Euan Buchan

The Edinburgh Birdwatcher

Supporter

• Dec 18, 2013

• #62

Can't choose one mine would be seeing my first Hummingbird, Wild Flamingo, Brown Pelican,Blue Jay & American Robin.

 

Foxy

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2013

• #63

Ecuadorian Hillstar was stunning and my first wild Penguins on the Galapagos Islands (where there were plenty of other contenders) but swimming with Galapagos sharks trumped the birds this year!

 

Dortmundbirder

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2013

• #64

Sri Lanka Spurfowl.
Was one of the magic birding moments when a normally skulking male suddenly appears, passes you in only a couple of meters and then disappears into the forest again.

 

J

Jumbo

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2013

• #65

Perhaps more prosaic than some of the rarities mentionned above, but my shortlist would include:

-Flock of Black Tailed Godwit in perfect light (stunningly beautiful),
-Common Cranes at Slimbridge (fingers crossed for successful breeding in 2014),
-Rutland Osprey ...

...but my "winner",
-Spotted Flycatcher, successfully nesting within 'scope range of my back door.:t:

 

Farnboro John

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2013

• #66

Jumbo said:

Perhaps more prosaic than some of the rarities mentionned above, but my shortlist would include:

-Flock of Black Tailed Godwit in perfect light (stunningly beautiful),
-Common Cranes at Slimbridge (fingers crossed for successful breeding in 2014),
-Rutland Osprey ...

...but my "winner",
-Spotted Flycatcher, successfully nesting within 'scope range of my back door.:t:

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I entirely agree about the spectacles described but "fingers crossed etc"....!

I spent half an afternoon watching a British wild-bred juvenile Crane with its parents in East Norfolk this November, and it wasn't by any means the only British wild Crane success this year. Slimbridge... pah!

John

 

Jeff Hopkins

Just another...observer

• Dec 19, 2013

• #67

Wow. Where to start...

Siberian crane, bare-faced bulbul, Cambodian tailorbird, giant ibis, Temminck's tragopan, wallcreeper, Tibetan snowcock, spot-breasted parrotbill...hard to pick just one. And I'm heading to Peru tomorrow, so I might have some potoos or a curassow to add to that list before year's end.

Closer to home, probably the black-chinned hummingbird coming to a feeder in southern PA was the best state bird.

 

BrianWH

Sparrowhawk

• Dec 19, 2013

• #68

Being fairly new to this game most of my spots this year are firsts for me. However the best and rarest bird in my area was a Mistle Thrush in my garden in January. :t: :t:

In France my favourite and a first was the Black Redstart Family see my Avatar.

 

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Fozzybear

Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter

• Dec 19, 2013

• #69

Stevie babe said:

:t:



There's definitely something :eek!: about eye contact with Sparrowhawks, I'd hate to be a Blue Tit eye to eye with one!

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20ft away and a window between us and I still had reason to fear

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Having had one zip past me at a distance of no more than a foot I know that feeling only too well!

 

dwatsonbirder

Well-known member

• Dec 19, 2013

• #70

Spring: Self found Common rosefinch - Gib point. Summer: Resplendant Quetzal in Panama. Autumn: Self found Pallas's warbler -Burnham Overy. Winter: European Starling on the barn opposite our farm, stunning birds.
The best year for birding I have ever had, I've seen about 700 species, just over half the species I've ever seen in total.

 

C

cheshirebirder

Well-known member

• Dec 19, 2013

• #71

Caught up with Secretary birds this year having dipped previously. Found them myself ( we were on a safari ) and later saw them flying too . Field guides don't really prepare you for the real thing !